Safety device for elevators.



A. LINN EMEYER. SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS. APILIOATION FILED NOV. 4, 1907.

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, Zlm ljm enugyen Swan 1mg 7 ANTON LINNEMEYER, OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 20, 1909.

Application filed November 4, 1907. Serial No. 400,694.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTON LINNEMEYER, a citizen of Germany, residing at Quincy, in the county of Adams and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Safety Device for Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide novel mechanism of a simple and effective nature, whereby the elevator car can be stopped and held in case the supporting cable breaks or any of the mechanism becomes deranged, thereby reventing loss of life consequent upon the e evator car falling from a great height.

Two embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it will be understood from an inspection of the appended claims that the invention is not limited solely to the two forms disclosed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through an elevator shaft, showing the car therein and the novel safety mechanism. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the car. Fig. 3 1s a horizontal sectlonal vlew through the shaft and illustrating the car in bottom plan view. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view through a portion of the holding means. Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1, but showing a slightly modified form of safety mechanism. Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the car illustrated in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail cross sectional view through one of the legs illustrated in Fig. 5.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the embodiment illustrated in the first four figures, the shaft is designated generally by the reference numeral 8, and is provided on opposite sides with suitable racks 9. The car, designated 10, may be of any suitable construction, and operates vertically in the shaft in a manner well understood. Secured by a clip 11 centrally to the bottom of the car is a leaf spring 12 preferably made up of a series of sections and longer than said car so that its ends, when the spring is straightened and rests against the bottom of the car, will engage with the teeth of the racks 9, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The said ends of the spring thus constitute holding dogs or looks. A holding link 13 is secured, as shown at 14 to one end of the spring, and the other end of said link is provided, as illustrated in Fig. 4 with a socket 15 that receives the other end of the spring 12, said spring being provided with a lug or projection 16 that prevents the spring sliding freely through the socket. The link 13 is considerably shorter than the spring 12, and consequently, as illustrated in Fig. 1, when the free end of the spring is engaged in the socket 15 of the link, said spring will be oowed, and the ends thereof will be maintained out of coaction with the racks 9. Consequently the elevator car can move up and down freely in the shaft without interference on the part of the holding means, but if the end of the link 13 having the socket is disengaged from the coacting end of the spring 12, then said spring will straighten, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and the car will be locked against downward movement.

Any suitable mechanism may be em )loyed for effecting the disengagement of t e detachably engaged ends of the spring and link. Thusin Fig. 1, a cable 17, secured to the free end of the link 13, passes about a pulley 18 secured in a suitable guide bracket 19 that is fastened to the under end of the car, and said cable extends upwardly through the floor of the car and overa guide sheave 20 in the upper portion of the car. The other end of the cable is secured to a'suitable cleat 21 or other fastener. A guide yoke 22 is preferably employed for the end of the spring, which detachably engages the link. The operation of this structure is substantially as follows. Under ordinary conditions the spring is locked in its bowed position, as illustrated but if the operator hears the noise of a break, or the car starts to suddenly descend, he has only to pull upon the cable 17 whereupon thelink 13 will be detached from one end from the spring 12 and said spring will straighten, thus catching the car and preventing the same dropping to the bottom of the shaft. As a result, accidents and consequent loss of life may be avoided.

A slightly different form of construction is illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. The elevator shaft in this instance is designated 8 and the car 9*. The racks 10 in the elevator shaft, each comprises side bars 10 connected by cross bolts 11 constituting in effect teeth or holding means. A leaf spring 12 is secured by a-clip 13" to the central portion of the bottom of the car, and a link 14: fas tened, as shown at 15 to one end of the spring, has a socket in its other end that detachably receives the other end of the spring,

'said end portion of the spring being guided by a stirrup 16 as shown. Instead of a cable for disengaging the detachably engaged ends of the spring and link, an upright slide bar 17 is employed mounted for longitudinal movement in the floor of the car and having an oil set lower end 18 that rests upon the detachably engaged end of the link 145*. The upper end of the rod has an ol'lset handle 19. iv ith this structure, the operator has only to depress the handle portion 19" in case of accident, whereupon the detaohably engaged. ends of the spring and link will be disassociated and the spring will swing to a straightened position, so that the ends thereof, which constitute in sheet dogs, will engage the racks and prevent the drop of the elevator to the bottom of the shaft.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages oi the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without further description, and it will be under- 2 stood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In mechanism of the character set forth, the combination with an elevator shaft, and a car movable therein, of holdi means in the shaft, a spring secured between its ends to the car and having said ends movable into engagement with the holding means, said ends being out of engagement with the holding means when the spring is bowed, and movable means engaging the end portions of the spring for normally holding said spring in bowed condition.

2. In mechanism 01' the character set forth,

the combination with an elevator shaft, and

a car movable therein, of holding means in the shaft, a spring secured between its ends to the car and having said ends movable into engagement with the holding means, said ends being out of engagement with the holding -means when the spring is bowed, and means detachably connecting the end portions of the spring to normally hold said spring in its bowed condition.

3. In mechanism of the character set forth, the combination with a shaft and a car movable therein, of holding means located in opposite sides of the shaft, a plurality of locks movable away from each other into coaction with the holding'means, a device secured to one look and detach-ably engaged with the other for maintaining the looks out of coaction with the holding means, and means for the holding moo detaching the device from said lock to permit the locks to operate.

4;. In mechanism of the character set lorth, the combination with a shalt, and a car movable therein, ol racks located. in the shaft, a spring having its central portion secured to the car and having its ends engaging the racks when the spring is straightened, alinh secured to one end portion of the spring, and detachably engaging with the other end portion to maintain the spring in bowed condition, and means for detaching the latter end portion of the spring to permit the spring to straighten.

5. .Ln mechanism of the character set forth, the combination with a shalt and a car movable therein, ot racks located on opposite sides of the shaft, :1. loal spring secured centrally to the bottom oi the car and having its ends ooacting with the raclis when said spring is substantially straight, a link shorter than the spring and secureo to one end of the same, said linli having a soclict that receives the other end of the spring and maintains the spring in bowed condition with the ends thereof out of coaction with the racks, and means for diseng ing the portion of the linl; having the socket from. the engaged end ol' the spring to release said spring and permit said spring to move the ends thereof into co action with the racks.

6. In mechanism of the character set forth, the combination with a shat t and a car movable therein, of holding means in the shalt, a lock mounted on the car and comprising a spring capable of being bowed, a holding device lor maintaining the spring bowed and out of coaction with the holding means, said device being detachably engaged with the end portion of the spring, and means l'or disengaging the spring and holding device to permit said spring to move into eoaction with 7 s of the shaft.

7. ln mechanism ol the character set forth, the combination with a shaft and a car movable therein, of holding means located in the shalt, a leaf spring having one portion socured rigidly to the car and another portion freely movable into and out oi coaotion with the holding means accordingly as said spring is straightened or bowed, a device dotaehably engaging with the tree portion ol the spring to hold it bowed, and means for releasing the spring from said device to permit the spring to straighten into coaction with the holding means.

In testimony, that I claim the l'oregoing as my own, I have hereto allixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ANTON LINNEMIEYER.

Vi itnesses WILLIAM N. ArsLEY, JULIUs F. Snnv. 

